Opioid and Heroin Summit starts Tuesday

New research suggests opioid dependency increases the risk of death for people within a four-year period if treated in a general healthcare setting.
The study examined morality rates of people with opioid use disorder in a general healthcare system, and compared that data with specialty addiction clinics.
The researchers analyzed electronic health records for almost 3,000 adult patients who were diagnosed with the disorder between 2006 and 2014.
The study found that by the end of their time period, 18-percent of those in their study had died from opioid use.
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Sam Quinones, author of "Dreamland, The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic," talked to reporters Monday. He is slated to speak at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday at the Opioid and Heroin Mississippi Drug Summit, which is being held at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison.(Photo: The Clarion-Ledger)

Quinones is speaking at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday at the event, which is being held at the Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison. A forum for families affected by the opioid and heroin crisis is slated for 6-8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

Strawberry will speak at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

The No. 1 pick in the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft, Strawberry was an eight-time MLB All-Star and four-time World Series champion during his 17-year career. He first began struggling with addiction in the late 1990s and was suspended three times by the league.

He has since gotten into recovery and operates the Strawberry Ministries to aid those struggling with addiction.

Quinones, the author of “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic,” will discuss the rise of the opioid epidemic in the U.S. as well as potential policy solutions for states, communities and medical boards.

On Monday, he told reporters that in the wake of winning the Cold War, Americans looked for quick solutions to their problems, such as taking pills, rebelling against their own role in maintaining wellness.

Organizers say the conference is aimed at informing the community about the growing epidemic of opioid and heroin abuse. The summit lasts through Thursday.

State Bureau of Narcotics Director John Dowdy said the truth is "we will not arrest our way out of this problem."

That's why law enforcement must work closely with the medical profession and others to solve the opioid epidemic, he said.

Mississippi is among the top five states in prescribing opioids — with opioid prescriptions surpassing the total number of people in the state.

“In Mississippi, about one out of every 10 people are misusing prescription drugs,” said Melody Winston, director of the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Services at the Department of Mental Health.

“Addiction is a disease, and it is a disease to which everyone is susceptible," she said. “We invite everyone to join us and learn how we can both prevent and treat this disease from claiming any more of our communities."

Hood said it's a "sin" that Mississippi lawmakers have cut funding for drug and alcohol recovery programs at a time they are so desperately needed. One such casualty is the men's drug and alcohol recovery program at the State Hospital at Whitfield.

Hood said, although the program for women is still open, it only has 36 beds.

The summit is a partnership involving the Department of Mental Health, the Bureau of Narcotics, the Board of Pharmacy, the Department of Public Safety, the attorney general’s office, the Mississippi State Medical Association and Capstone Treatment Center.

Contact Jerry Mitchell at jmitchell@gannett.com or (601) 961-7064. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.